PRS 950 or 650??

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

I have a question for PRS-900 users. Has anyone read manga on their PRS-900? How is the page displayed, are the pictures stretched out? (This might factor into my 650 vs. 950 buying decision, which is why I'm asking).

It preserves the aspect ratio, if that's what you want to know.

The big problem I've had with the ADE devices is that their image scaling is terrible and leads to jagged text. The 900 was the same, and I'm not sure the scaling has improved. But, that is pretty easily fixed by using Calibre to scale the images for you.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by Kolenka

It preserves the aspect ratio, if that's what you want to know.

Yes, that is what I was trying to ask. Thanks.

[harryE123]

I guess I am in the minority who'd like to browse the web on e-ink, or more accurately read web material such as articles and blogs. I still can't get over the fact that sony don't have wifi in the 650 and the 950 as such a strange aspect ratio. How hard would it be for sony to come up with a proper (so to speak) aspect ration 7" device?

My hunch is that some misguided exec or engineer suggested that that particular aspect ratio would lend itself well to landscape viewing in 1/3s of a4 pdfs since they wouldn't go in the 9.7" market. Which of course this to me is a very poor decision but very typical of sony nowadays (and the tech world in general), and now instead of the device being able to do at least one thing well, namely read slightly larger sentences and book formats, it does both things badly.

It doesn't offer the real estate for a larger paperback novel and can't really display an a4 pdf in any decent way... Way to shoot yourselves in the foot sony.

[astra]

Originally Posted by harryE123

I still can't get over the fact that the 950 as such a strange aspect ratio. How hard would it be for sony to come up with a proper (so to speak) aspect ration 7" device?

Me too

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by harryE123

I guess I am in the minority who'd like to browse the web on e-ink, or more accurately read web material such as articles and blogs. I still can't get over the fact that sony don't have wifi in the 650 and the 950 as such a strange aspect ratio. How hard would it be for sony to come up with a proper (so to speak) aspect ration 7" device?

My hunch is that some misguided exec or engineer suggested that that particular aspect ratio would lend itself well to landscape viewing in 1/3s of a4 pdfs since they wouldn't go in the 9.7" market. Which of course this to me is a very poor decision but very typical of sony nowadays (and the tech world in general), and now instead of the device being able to do at least one thing well, namely read slightly larger sentences and book formats, it does both things badly.

It doesn't offer the real estate for a larger paperback novel and can't really display an a4 pdf in any decent way... Way to shoot yourselves in the foot sony.

The 900/950 is called "The Daily Edition" for a reason. It was their answer to making electronic newspapers available, and the aspect ratio follows that line of reasoning. It lends itself well to articles with lead-in photos, cutting down on the number of pages (fitting short articles with a photo onto a single screen easily, plus navigation UI).

It's not an answer for PDF documents and more than the 600 is, and the landscape mode's quirks was more of a side-effect than an intended design.

[aleccj1]

Originally Posted by harryE123

No need to check the archos in the store, it runs the vastly inferior android, has much worse battery life, no ips lcd screen etc. etc.

How exactly is Android vastly inferior to iOS? At least Android is fully open. You can even use the UI of your choice. Saw a few of your later posts. You seem like a fanboy.

[Mike_73]

Originally Posted by aleccj1

How exactly is Android vastly inferior to iOS? At least Android is fully open. You can even use the UI of your choice. Saw a few of your later posts. You seem like a fanboy.

I'm certainly not a fanboy as I don't like apples closed eco system and the need to be registered with a credit card. But for now, with the headstart apple had with the iPhone line, the UI has matured for quite a while and the choice of available applications is just so much bigger. Once Android catches up, another device may be my preferred choice, but for now it certainly is the iPad.

[aleccj1]

Originally Posted by Mike_73

I'm certainly not a fanboy as I don't like apples closed eco system and the need to be registered with a credit card. But for now, with the headstart apple had with the iPhone line, the UI has matured for quite a while and the choice of available applications is just so much bigger. Once Android catches up, another device may be my preferred choice, but for now it certainly is the iPad.

Have you read about the Notion Ink Adam yet? It looks like it's going to blow the iPad out of the water.

[elcreative]

Whoopee... another non-existent product... I guess I'll keep looking but at the moment the iPad has one huge advantage over the competition it exists... pity about the price tho' The Notion won't be available before the end of the year as it hasn't yet been submitted for FCC approval (according to Wikipedia any way)... but I live in hope of something eventually existing and competing

Originally Posted by aleccj1

Have you read about the Notion Ink Adam yet? It looks like it's going to blow the iPad out of the water.

[aleccj1]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Whoopee... another non-existent product... I guess I'll keep looking but at the moment the iPad has one huge advantage over the competition it exists... pity about the price tho' The Notion won't be available before the end of the year as it hasn't yet been submitted for FCC approval (according to Wikipedia any way)... but I live in hope of something eventually existing and competing

Have you read this? It seems to me it might "exist" sometime before the Holidays.
http://www.slashgear.com/notion-ink-...-more-1297402/

[sgtpokey]

Originally Posted by Mike_73

I didn't consider the iPad too, at first. But I think for letter / A4 sized documents (with color), it's a great alternative. I was thinking about a Kindle DX for a while and also read magazines on my PRS600, but the iPad to me is the better way for that.
But like stated before, I also wouldn't consider an eInk for browsing the web.

Just my 2 cents.

Everyone what he/she needs

By the way, I'm not an apple fanboy either. I don't like their closed ecosystem and I bought a Zune just for not having an ipod. And I still love my 1st Gen Zune.

My thoughts are you just buy both ... except in my case I wouldn't get a 1st gen iPad-like device as it doesn't satisfy my needs. A smartphone, a reader and a laptop fit the bill nicely for me at the moment but i can see that if tablet devices mature a bit more I might buy that "fourth" device that Steve Jobs says I need....

[sgtpokey]

Originally Posted by harryE123

I guess I am in the minority who'd like to browse the web on e-ink, or more accurately read web material such as articles and blogs. I still can't get over the fact that sony don't have wifi in the 650 and the 950 as such a strange aspect ratio. How hard would it be for sony to come up with a proper (so to speak) aspect ration 7" device?

My hunch is that some misguided exec or engineer suggested that that particular aspect ratio would lend itself well to landscape viewing in 1/3s of a4 pdfs since they wouldn't go in the 9.7" market. Which of course this to me is a very poor decision but very typical of sony nowadays (and the tech world in general), and now instead of the device being able to do at least one thing well, namely read slightly larger sentences and book formats, it does both things badly.

It doesn't offer the real estate for a larger paperback novel and can't really display an a4 pdf in any decent way... Way to shoot yourselves in the foot sony.

Wasn't really a sony decision, the makers of e-ink panels created the 7" size and resolution (and the 5", 6", 8" and the Kindle's 9.7") and the device makers decided on which panel sizes to use in their products. Granted, e-ink probably had a lot of advice from their supply-chain partners, but in essence it is e-ink who decided to go with the sizes, form factors, resolutions...

The current pearl tech is available in these panel sizes:
http://www.eink.com/products/High_Res_Pearl.html

[Mike_73]

Originally Posted by sgtpokey

My thoughts are you just buy both ... except in my case I wouldn't get a 1st gen iPad-like device as it doesn't satisfy my needs. A smartphone, a reader and a laptop fit the bill nicely for me at the moment but i can see that if tablet devices mature a bit more I might buy that "fourth" device that Steve Jobs says I need....

I thought similar. I think even the iPad can get better and I'm curios about the OS update in November. But even for having the 1st gen iPad, I'm pretty satisfied about what it delivers and it fits the bill right between my reader and my laptop. There's surely stuff I wouldn't consider doing on the iPad, but I like it for what I use it . And I'm glad it doesn't have USB ports. I thought my laptop was a mobile device until I connected a printer, a mouse, an external harddrive, the power supply, etc. .

[elcreative]

Sorry but you missed my main point... it doesn't exist until I can buy/hold in my hand... mid to end of November is still the end of the year as far as I'm concerned. Don't get me wrong, I don't have an iPad (it doesn't quite meet my needs and is priced too high) and I'm interested in things in the same area but I am really bored with all the hype from different companies about iPad killers... it isn't an iPad killer (or iPad anything) until it competes... and it doesn't compete until it's actually in the marketplace

Originally Posted by aleccj1

Have you read this? It seems to me it might "exist" sometime before the Holidays.
http://www.slashgear.com/notion-ink-...-more-1297402/

[pendragginp]

Am I reading this right, the 950 does NOT have the pearl screen?

From the Sony store:

Model number: PRS-950SCNOTIFY ME
Add to Wishlist
Coming Soon

Features
Dimensions (Approx.) : 6.38 x 2.28 x 9.84 inches (WxDxH)
Weight (Approx.) : Approx. 1.23 oz
AC Power : DC 5.2 V
Battery Life (Approx) : 12,000 (ePub) Continuous page turns
Battery Type : Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery: DC 3.7 V
Recharging Time : 3.5 Hours
Operating Temperature : 41 to 95 °F
Gray Scale : 16 level gray scale
Resolution : 600 x 1024 pixels
Screen Size : Vizplex™ 7 inches
Technology : Infra-Red Clear Touch Screen
Memory Size : 2GB Dual Memory Card Expansion Slots for Memory Stick Duo™ and SD Card up to 32GB.

ETA: Forgive if this has been talked about already -